Pelargonium plant named ‘Pacneonimp’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Pacneonimp’, characterized by its upright and uniformly rounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; early and freely flowering habit; and intense red purple-colored semi-double flowers that are held above the foliar plane on strong peduncles.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium x hortorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PACNEONIMP’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium x hortorum, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Pacneonimp’.

The new Zonal Geranium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new uniform and early-flowering Zonal Geranium plants with dark green-colored leaves and numerous attractive flowers.

The new Zonal Geranium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor of two unidentified proprietary selections of Pelargonium x hortorum, not patented, during the summer of 2015. Seed was collected from a number of potential parent plants, combined and sown. The new Zonal Geranium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated mass cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany during the summer of 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Zonal Geranium plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany since January, 2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Zonal Geranium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Pacneonimp’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Pacneonimp’ as a new and distinct Zonal Geranium plant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniformly rounded plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely basal branching habit.     -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   6. Intense red purple-colored semi-double flowers that are held         above the foliar plane on strong peduncles.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium can be compared to plants of the Pelargonium x hortorum ‘Pacneon’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,901. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Zonal Geranium differ from plants of ‘Pacneon’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium are taller than plants of         ‘Pacneon’.     -   2. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium are more freely branching         than plants of ‘Pacneon’.     -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Zonal Geranium are glossier than         leaves of plants of ‘Pacneon’.     -   4. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium flower earlier than plants         of ‘Pacneon’.     -   5. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have larger flowers than         plants of ‘Pacneon’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Zonal Geranium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Zonal Geranium plant. The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Pacneonimp’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 19-cm containers during the spring, summer and autumn in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Zonal Geranium production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 18° C., night temperatures averaged 16° C. and light levels ranged from 15 klux to 100 klux. Plants were four months old when the photograph was taken and nine months old when the detailed description was taken. In the following detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium x hortorum ‘Pacneonimp’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection             of Pelargonium x hortorum, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection of             Pelargonium x hortorum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and uniformly rounded plant             habit; inverted triangle; densely foliated; moderately             vigorous growth habit; rapid growth rate; freely basal             branching habit with about six primary lateral branches each             with about two secondary lateral branches developing per             plant; pinching is typically not required.         -   Plant height, to top of foliar plane.—About 18 cm.         -   Plant height, to top of floral plane.—About 28 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 30 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 12 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.             Internode length: About 1 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture and             luster: Densely pubescent; semi-glossy. Color, developing:             Close to 144A. Color, developed: Close to 146B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite and alternate; simple.         -   Length.—About 5 cm.         -   Width.—About 7.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Rounded; roughly reniform.         -   Apex.—Rounded.         -   Base.—Cordate, open.         -   Margin.—Crenate with shallow and divergent indentations.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Pubescent, rough;             coriaceous; glossy.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Pubescent; coriaceous;             glossy.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 147A; venation, close to 147A; no discernible             zonation pattern. Developing and fully expanded leaves,             lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 146B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 7 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture             and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; rough;             matte. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Semi-double flowers             arranged in roughly hemispherical umbels arising from apical             leaf axils; umbels displayed above the foliar plane on             strong peduncles; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly             depending on position in the umbel; freely flowering habit             with about 15 open flowers per umbel and numerous umbels             developing per plant during the flowering season.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—Early flowering habit; plants begin             flowering about 80 days after planting; in the garden in             Germany, flowering begins in April and continues until frost             in the autumn.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about six to ten days on the             plant; umbels last about three to four weeks on the plant;             flowers persistent.         -   Umbel height.—About 6 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 10 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4.5 cm by 5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Shape: Round. Texture and luster: Pubescent; matte. Color:             Close to 144A.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About eight; petals imbricate.             Length, upper petal: About 2.7 cm. Length, lower petal:             About 2.5 cm. Width, upper petals: About 1.7 cm. Width,             lower petals: About 1.9 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded.             Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Texture             and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy.             Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte.             Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close             to 66A; proximally on upper petals, stripes, close to 34A;             venation, close to 66A; colors do not change with subsequent             development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 66A; proximally on upper petals, stripes, close to             34A; venation, close to 66A; main color becoming closer to             66C with subsequent development.         -   Petaloids.—To date, petaloid development has not been             observed on plants of the new Pelargonium.         -   Sepals.—Calyx length: About 1 cm. Calyx diameter: About             2 cm. Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single whorl;             not fused. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 3 mm to 4 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin:             Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent; glossy. Color, when developing, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 166A. Color, fully developed, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 166A.         -   Peduncles (umbel stems).—Length: About 13 cm. Diameter:             About 3 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Mostly upright to             slightly outwardly. Texture and luster: Pubescent; glossy.             Color: Close to 166A.         -   Pedicels (individual flower stems).—Length: About 2.5 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible.             Texture and luster: Pubescent; glossy. Color: Close to 166A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About 13. Filament length: About 7 mm. Filament color: Close             to 57C; towards the base, close to 155D. Anther size: About             0.5 mm by 1 mm. Anther shape: Tubular. Anther color: Close             to 70B. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to             169C. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 8 mm. Stigma diameter: About 3 mm. Stigma             shape: Five-parted. Stigma color: Close to 60A. Style             length: About 2 mm. Style color: Close to 60C. Ovary color:             Close to 177A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Zonal Geranium. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Zonal     Geranium have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and     pests common to Zonal Geranium plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 0.5° C. to     about 40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Pacneonimp’ as illustrated and described. 